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Thread: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

  1. #1
    Registered User Drew Streip's Avatar
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    Question Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    I live in my childhood home, in a cul-de-sac that's mostly surrounded by trees. Over my 32 years I've seen us lose one maple tree to a storm, another to old age, two dogwoods to sewer / drainage constructions, one oak to carpenter ants, and we're taking down the adjacent oak soon, which has begun to rot.

    Despite that, our yard still hosts a silver maple, dogwoods, oak and several tall (and small) pines. I also found pictures from my childhood and was encouraged to see that the woods around us have actually grown up significantly (I just assumed the wooded area was always mature).

    I just planted a maple tree for my daughter and a ginkgo tree for my son, as well as a small fig just for kicks. I also planted a weeping willow at my daughter's school, in honor of my mom who worked there before she died.

    As I've entered the world of woodworking, I think more about my impact locally and globally. It's a small step, but in my opinion, a significant one.

    Anybody else planting trees, for any reason?

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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    I've planted 4 or 5 trees over the last 15 years, mostly just to keep up with ones that had to be taken out or died. For anyone whose plan is to offset their carbon footprint, they will need to plant 10 new trees to cover a return flight to Europe, about 4 for a cross country trip. Figure about 6 trees annually for each car they own, 11 for an SUV or truck. I tremble to think how many trees I owe the planet by now. It's a forest you could be lost in.

    * references:
    https://www.topgear.com.ph/features/...l-co2-emission
    https://www.scotsman.com/news/transp...ight-1-5069522

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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    We need to be careful with this thread as it could easily go sideways.

    The best advice I've heard is to plant trees for the next generation. Meaning if you plant a slow growth tree as an adult, you may very well be gone by the time the tree reaches maturity, but the next generation will enjoy it.

    I think native trees make the most sense, they have the best chance of surviving. Here in Texas, that means we plant a lot of oak trees. They get pretty big, so most suburban sized yards can only handle a few. I have two in my front yard that are now 18 years old, and are just now getting big enough to help block the setting sun from the west side of the house, and it does make a huge difference. When we first moved in, even with the AC cranked up those rooms were almost unbearable in the early evening in late summer.

    Finally, it really helps to have them professionally pruned. I have a tree guy come by once a year and I pay him to keep them growing up and out, without having branches stick people in the eye when they walk by on the sidewalk.
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    Registered User Drew Egerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    Just don't plant Leyland Cypress....or at least don't buy a house that has some 25 year old Leyland Cypress. I've had about 6 blown over in the last two years, luckily all falling in the yard.
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    Barn Cat Mandolins Bob Clark's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    Hello Drew,

    I applaud your efforts and am glad to see this thread. I am an orchard farmer, so I have planted innumerable fruit trees, mainly Asian pear but other fruit species as well on the farm. But to my mind, these don't really count. It is the trees in the natural areas of the farm that count more.

    We have planted the hedgerows with several species of hardwood. We have let native cedars grow and have moved many of them to better sites. We have about a third of a mile of stream bank along our north border. We have encouraged several species to grow there and now it has substantial stands of sweet gum, cedar and other species.

    We also have a small spring-fed pond on the farm. We have planted hemlocks, cedars, oaks and a number of species of berry-producing bushes around the pond. It is great habitat for birds. Lots of songbirds nest there, and Great Blue Herons and several other species of wading birds frequently fish there. Oddly enough, GB Herons also like to wander the sheep pastures hunting for voles. These grasslands are home to a numb of species including a threatened species of sparrow.

    We also work cooperatively with a regional conservancy working to bring back breeding pairs of Kestrels. I am proud of the fact that in each of the last three years, we have successfully fledged Kestrel young here on the farm.

    Most importantly, we permanently preserved the farm nearly twenty years ago and got the neighboring farm to join us in preservation. Now it is in the deeds that these farms can never be developed.

    Can we do more to protect the environment? Sure, and we look for ways to do it all the time. Stands of sustainable trees are a big way to do that. I love being a part of that effort.

    I hope you can realize that I say none of this to brag, but to encourage. I am truly one of the luckiest people on this planet and feel greatly blessed to have been able to spend these past 34 years here on this farm. I feel a deep obligation to protect it for future generations and have done my best. I hope not to leave here for the rest of my days. Then I hope some similar-minded person will carry on planting and caring for this land as my wife and I have had the privilege of doing.
    Last edited by Bob Clark; Feb-27-2020 at 10:19am. Reason: Respect for Austin Bob's comment.
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    Registered User Drew Streip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    Yep, no need for bragging, high horses, soapboxes or shaming. I love and respect wood (both trees and lumber) and I want my kids to get the same enjoyment out of watching them grow and change.

    Just thought this group, if anybody, may have some other cool stories. Another one: My late granddad, an avid woodworker himself, planted me a cedar that was about my height when I was 5 or 6 years old. It's now topped 25 feet!

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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    I love trees. There is nothing better than walking amongst them, or lying under them.

    I get irritated at the city because they’ve never seen a tree they didn’t want to cut down.
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    Quote Originally Posted by DocT View Post
    I love trees. There is nothing better than walking amongst them, or lying under them.

    I get irritated at the city because they’ve never seen a tree they didn’t want to cut down.
    Not every city. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_tree_canopy

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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    I'm a woodworker too and love all kinds of wood. However I planted a tree for the shade it would provide. The wood, from a Norwegian Maple which has soft wood, is not good for woodworking and besides is an 'invasive species' here. So why did I plant it? It is a reminder, of the giant 90 year old tree that shaded our front yard. In fact my tree is a sapling from the former parent tree. Yes, it is 'invasive' however knowing that it grows fast I made the decision to keep it. Our neighborhood has suffered the loss of hundreds of Black Ash to ash borer beetles. (and climate disruption). The place (South Minneapolis), looks exposed and barren. I can't wait for a slow growing species to shade my back yard.
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    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    Quote Originally Posted by Drew Streip View Post
    .....a small fig just for kicks......Anybody else planting trees, for any reason?
    Get ready to prune a lot. In my experience there’s no such thing as a ‘small fig’ unless you bind the roots. I didn’t.

    Lots of fruit though
    Last edited by Bill McCall; Feb-27-2020 at 1:38pm.
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    I have an acre of woods on my property, and when we moved in we planted 15 trees on the house part of the property. Since then, the trees have multiplied exponentially, the weeping cherry has sent up at least 8 (probably more, I haven't counted) additional trees from the roots, the twisty locust died, but there are 15 or more locust trees growing from the roots of the original tree (I live on a farm, the house part of the property is about an acre,) and there are multiple crabapples coming up all over the place. I just mow around them. I like random trees growing freely wherever they want. Plus I have another hobby (obsession?) - bonsai, I have about 50 bonsai trees here too (haven't counted those lately either - I'm afraid to know how many there are.)

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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    My grandpa lives on the edge of a canyon. There's an awesome Ponderosa pine right in the middle of his back lawn. I was admiring it, and he told me how he saw a little pine tree about six inches tall poking up out of the grass as he was mowing it. That was in 1965 or so. He put some ribbons around it, now it's probably a hundred feet tall.

    We had an awesome maple in our front lawn, it got struck by lightning and basically exploded last spring. Need to figure out what could go back there to fill its shoes.

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    Registered User Drew Streip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Jacobson View Post
    My grandpa lives on the edge of a canyon. There's an awesome Ponderosa pine right in the middle of his back lawn. I was admiring it, and he told me how he saw a little pine tree about six inches tall poking up out of the grass as he was mowing it. That was in 1965 or so. He put some ribbons around it, now it's probably a hundred feet tall.

    We had an awesome maple in our front lawn, it got struck by lightning and basically exploded last spring. Need to figure out what could go back there to fill its shoes.
    I just moved three little 12" pines out of my "no grow" landscaped area and am looking forward to seeing if they can take somewhere more appropriate.

    I planted our new maple over the footprint of the old one. It went away at least 15 years ago, and the void where the stump rotted is the most wonderfully rich, loamy dirt in my whole yard.

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    I really look like that soliver's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill McCall View Post
    Get ready to prune a lot. In my experience there’s no such thing as a ‘small fig’ unless you bind the roots. I didn’t.

    Lots of fruit though
    Even when you bind them, they still get big. We planted one about 15 yrs ago that was probably 2-3' high in and in-ground stacked brick surround to tame the roots. It is now about 20' tall and all the fruit gets eaten by birds and bugs before we get to it... Its a really nice tree though.

    As for my household, we've planted several "under-story trees": redbud, dogwood, crepe myrtle and Japanese maple trees. Wifey is more into gardening than I am into mandolins, so it was bound to happen. If you get a chance, check out Harry Lauder's walking stick... those are cool!.... Lets just say I've dug a lot of holes over the last 17 yrs!

    We've lost a few though too. Last year we lost a beloved 50 yr old red bud that was enormous and beautiful, and dogwoods are very susceptible to disease and breakage... beautiful pink wood with dark brown streaks in it though!

    I agree with David too,.... looooootsa trees in Atlanta.
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    As I was reading this thread, Longfellow’s Prelude kept going through my mind. Here are the first four stanzas (no mandolin content, though, unfortunately):


    Pleasant it was, when woods were green
    And winds were soft and low,
    To lie amid some sylvan scene,
    Where, the long drooping boughs between,
    Shadows dark and sunlight sheen
    Alternate come and go;

    Or where the denser grove receives
    No sunlight from above,
    But the dark foliage interweaves
    In one unbroken roof of leaves,
    Underneath whose sloping eaves
    The shadows hardly move.

    Beneath some patriarchal tree
    I lay upon the ground;
    His hoary arms uplifted he,
    And all the broad leaves over me
    Clapped their little hands in glee,
    With one continuous sound;

    A slumberous sound, a sound that brings
    The feelings of a dream,
    As of innumerable wings,
    As, when a bell no longer swings,
    Faint the hollow murmur rings
    O'er meadow, lake, and stream.

    (Yesterday was Longfellow’s birthday, so he’s fresh on my mind.)
    ...

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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    Very nice!

    I planted three thorny honeylocust trees on my land August of 2019. It'll be interesting to see if they make it through the winter. These trees drop a bunch of pods in the winter and deer love to eat the pods. That's why I planted them. I have plenty of oak, maple, and hickory as well. And yes, I wonder what kind of mandolin my maple trees would make. Haha

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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    Quote Originally Posted by Caleb View Post
    (Yesterday was Longfellow’s birthday, so he’s fresh on my mind.)
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    I have a couple of Arbor Vitae Cedar trees (saplings?) now about 6 inches high. Does anyone know how to transplant them? Is there a concern about the type of soil?
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    For three years the pine beetles have been taking their toll on our property so I have started a reforestation project. I began with 6 blight resistant chestnuts and, after some losses, have several 3 year old trees already producing nuts.

    With nuts gathered last fall I have amplified it to two dozen seedlings which will go in the field next fall.

    Chestnut once ruled the eastern forest and am doing what I can to reintroduce them.

    By the way, it is a beautiful useful wood and the nuts are plentiful, come after only a few years and are delicious. (Yes, we ate half our seed crop over Christmas.)

    You need serious deer protection to get them established but the effort is worth the trouble.

    My fellow mandolin player John Teate (in the Pluck Tones) has established a chestnut nursery and a seed orchard here (near Americus, Ga.) and is a true evangelist for this past monarch of the North American forest. He has 16,000 seedlings this year! He might swap out a few trees for mandolin strings.
    Last edited by bradlaird; Feb-29-2020 at 7:23am. Reason: Typi

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    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    My husband's parents planted a pair of trees in their front yard when he and his brother were toddlers; one has died, the other is lovely and tall. We don't speculate on which tree was planted for which child! When we bought our house, it had four small pine trees, one on each corner of the front yard. We're down to one, now, but we've replaced them at random spots -- an apricot tree near the front, two apples on the space between the sidewalk and the road to prevent people from parking on the lawn there, a mountain laurel (or is that a bush?) in the back that's about 3 feet high after 7 years and some self-propagating rose-of-sharon trees on the side of the driveway. Our daughter bought a house with almost no trees at all and we've been driving up there with what plants and trees we can salvage from the lawn (including the maples and oaks our neighbors have that self-start in our garden) as a gift.

    I will say that, if you've never had a ginko, to be prepared for the smell. The female trees are rightly called "stinko" although they're nice trees to have in the neighborhood. We had a row of them around our high school when I was growing up. I distinctly remember having to collect leaves for a biology project at one point and added one to the collection (as did most of my classmates) and the teacher, who wasn't from around there, just about lost her mind. She'd never seen one before.
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    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    Out here Doug Fir is what is replanted after being clear cut, sawn up,

    trucked to a building site and probably built into being tour house..

    In the 60's & 70's there were the Hoedads , cooperative groups of workers replanting cut over timber sale units..
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    Registered User Drew Streip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    Quote Originally Posted by Randi Gormley View Post
    I will say that, if you've never had a ginko, to be prepared for the smell. The female trees are rightly called "stinko" although they're nice trees to have in the neighborhood. We had a row of them around our high school when I was growing up. I distinctly remember having to collect leaves for a biology project at one point and added one to the collection (as did most of my classmates) and the teacher, who wasn't from around there, just about lost her mind. She'd never seen one before.
    Luckily the nursery specs male ginkgo for that reason! We have several planted on campus at my work and I've never noticed a stench. Bradford Pear, on the other hand....

  32. #23
    F5G & MD305 Astro's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    Great thread. Gets the xylem and phloem going. I've planted a few, but we've lost a few too. I need to get busy.
    No matter where I go, there I am...Unless I'm running a little late.

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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    I have been working with plants for about 4 decades here is Southeastern Az. Here are a couple of tips for those that get inspired by this thread to go plant some trees. The old saying is that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is today.

    1) Go Native - Picking a plant that is adapted to your local climatic and soil conditions will give you the best chance for success with the least amount of work. It will also attract local wildlife (birds, butterfly, etc.) so you will get to enjoy them too.

    2) Everything requires some maintenance. - Planting a tree is a lot like getting married. It isn't the initial installation, but the long term maintenance that determines success.

    3) Be aware of mature size. - If you want something that only grows to 10 ft. then pick something that grows to 10 ft. Don't choose a plant that grows to 20 ft. and think you are going to keep it pruned. Pruning, and the work that it takes to prune, is overrated.

    And remember folks, taking care of the land these days , it's not just isn't for hippies.

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    Default Re: Anybody planting trees? Share your stories!

    Most of my effort seems to go into cutting trees down actually. Mature eucalyptus which are invasive. What is interesting is how nature replants the space with different trees once the light is allowed in. I actually look at it as giving the land a haircut. Much greater diversity after a few years in my case.

    The unfortunate thing is the eucalyptus wood isn't good for much. I did make a nice freehand bench out of one log though.

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